Slip cover for furniture



w. D. CLARK, JR 2,366,833

SLIP COVER FOR FURNITURE FiledJan. 11. 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 9, 1945.

INVENTOR. Mu MM D. 6'1 flR/(JR.

ATTORNEYS Jan. 9. 1945. w. D. CLARK, JR 2,365,833

SLIP COVER FOR FURN-ITURE FiledJan. 11, 1941' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Mum/11p. 62 fl/F/f Je.

ATTORNEYS 1945- w. o. CLARK, JR

7 SLIP COVER FUR FURNITURE 3 R a w e w 7 R m h. R M w a m0 m e N E m 5 6 m M ,.l L Q 1 0. m M M a N w W i H liii. M h V vfi A m N 3 e a w u H M x w A am Luc s m t q E, l S

Patented Jan. 9, 1945 UNITED STATES rmrizlv'r OFFlCE This invention relates to slip covers for furnie ture, particularly upholstered chairs and the like. i r l The present standard practice, in making slip covers from knitted webs of material, is to spread a multiplicity of layers of the Web material upon a cutting table and when the desired number of layers has been superposed a pattern of each particular part which is to go into the slip cover is laid upon the material and the parts are then cut out in multiples. The cut portions are put up in bundles, distributed to several sewing ma chine operators, each of whom selects the separate parts upon which she is operating, and sews them together. Such sewn parts are then assembled by another operator who sews. them all together to finish the slip cover. The several parts, handled by each operator, must be fitted together, involving separate handling and exended machine sewing operations. Each seam which the operator forms in a slip cover requires the formation of a hem, which takes up in the ag regate a considerable amount of material, and each seam whichjoins two individual pieces in,-

terferes with the free stretching of the material such as would be obtained were the material made of a continuous section. Such seams in the finished cover have little stretch and tend to open or rip when the slip cover is stretchedupon a piece of furniture. There also is a tendency of,

the material, by reason of the use of the seams throughout the meeting edges of different panels, to pucker, requiring special adjustment in an effort to eliminate such puckering. In many instances the knitted materials are made with over-all designs and in the course of cutting such materials and the subsequent assembly thereof the symmetry of the design is broken, which, oc-

curringon the more prominent portions of the slip cover, causes objection on the part of the purchaser. Inthe course of dyeing such knitted materials in the piece there is a progressive variance vention further provides a means for using such material with gradual shading of the several parts, eliminates the labor of selecting the parts from bundles and fitting the same together, eliminates the tendency to split atthe seams and the breaking up of the design at the more prominetportions of the slip cover; and provides a better fit of the knitted slipcover, particularly around the edges of chair legs-and the portion of the chair above the legs.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is ablank cut from a piece of material, from which the slip cover of this invention may be formed, including the pillow portions, with. the face side of thematerial in the color shade as the material passes through. i

the dyeing operationsand consequently, because the out parts for each slip cover were not matched and could not readily be matched for like shades, the finished slip cover, when the several parts are. sewn together, shows a. varying shade of the samecolor.

This invention overcomes the several objecy siderable amount of material, requires less handling, saves labor and sewing operations, and

eliminates the sharp shade contrast. This inshown; Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view oftthe under side of the blank of Fig. 1, omitting the two end panels representing the pillow portion; Fig. 3 is a front view of a standard chairhaving the slip cover of this invention applied thereto; Fig. 4 is aside view. of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the chair of Fig. 3; Fig. .6 .is a bottom view of said chair; Fig. 7 is 'a plan view of a cover of, a cushion or pillow; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the. cover of Fig. 7 applied to a cushion preparatory to placing it upon the seat of the chair; Fig. 9 is a perspectiveview of the assembled slip cover in inside-out condition to show the lines of stitching more clearly;.Fig. 10 'is a vertical sectional viewof the cover shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 11 is a, vertical sectional view of Fig. 9, such view being taken at 90 to that ofFig. 10.

In the practice of this invention, the chair is treated as having five divisions: a seat, aright arm, a, left arm, the front of the back and'the back. of the back, as indicated in Fig. 2., Actually there are many surfaces of the chair which, must be covered, lying in varying planes, but such surfaces and the relative angles and planes in which they lie are not specially considered in forming the cover. The cover is formed from-a continuous flat blank having a series of panels, generally all of the same shape, and manipulative to bringjthe successive panels of the blank or portions of the same blank to predetermined, relative positions. 7 A The cover, consideredas applied to a chair, comprises a seatportion centrally arranged and lying in horizontal position and havingattached thereto the front of the back portion, extending upwardly in a general vertical direction. ,On each side of these two portions lie the left and right arms, the fifth member being the backof theback portion. In carrying out this invention, the slip cover is put togetherfrom a blank left'of Fig. 1 and in Fig. 2. The five panels are cut from a continuous piece of knitted material,

having substantially the same width as the width of the'several panels. Incisions, extending partly through the blank, are formed in the material '5 between the panels, and the unsevered portions are utilized as necks or hinges, not only to hold parts should become continuous), must; in its relation, in the flat blank, to the. front of thesz back, be spaced therefrom byattleast one other panel and, in the best method of operation; pref: erably by two panels. This becomes necessarysin' order thatthe seatand the front .of the back may be"readilyvmanipulatd in order to-align them: To, eficfisuch'? a relation between-the seat and thfe ffon't' ofFthebackfones-arm ::pane1 (tllei riglit annfl ispositionew the'continuous fl'at blank between' the' seat and- "tliedront of the ba'ck.'= 'A"--se.corrd"-Ipane1- (the backof? the back) ispreferably*likewi'se 'positioned between the seat andth'e:frontof*tlie *-bacli" It is to Be observed ifiWhi's assembly*tliat'tlfierliacl ofitlre backfhas one arm attached thereto: (the rightarmian'd 0 tlie"'seat"andtlfie back 'of' tlre ba-clr-are separated by, a panel" (this right arm panel) 1 The fifth panelis fm-rn-ed in its continuous relation; contigiroiastbipheed'geof tlie*seat"oppositetl'ie right arm? In lf igsi-land 2"ofthe*drawings:Ais'theseat panel; B thy-front" oftlieba'ck; C the right arm, Dtheback'orthebackr and-iEithe- "left arm;

'I heFpaIIels-"A, Bi C1D," .E "are substantially rec? tangui'a'r'; and o-fi'sub'stantially "the same; length, 40 the-longitudinal edgesrbeing substantially parare-1% fI'he panels-E and"A are separated" byra long slit Band- 1 dined togetherzby, anarrow hinge G." PanelstA and' C axreseparated by a; longslitH andicomrected byiajnarrow hinge'T." Panels'xcand Dare separated by afslriort 'slitjJ and connected b'yfa long hingepririecklKf T. PanelsDarrdnB' are connected bya slrort'hingedj and separated by ag long" slitM. ltiwill "thus be noted thatLpaneIs E; A, (l andinyaref connectedfbyhingesialltalong one edge of' thel blank andlpan'el's D andlB are connecte'd'by'a' hingej on'the opposite edge of the blank."

In assemldlingtthe connected anels A; .13, 0,113,

EZof the ,blank"iritoiai slip cover. the panels are sewn tc getherfwitntlie' facerpcrjtions tnereofin opposedrelatilohfso th'a'tai coverl'isiobtained. which is"inside" out." ,Tlieftop'e'd'geN of tli'e seatportion orp'anel is, firstistitched'cto theilower ledge O -of the front offthe' back; on panel; Biwiththe ,face sides: gof the; said; edge portions T of; such panels in engagement "with .eachl, other, and-.end I 9.. of panel ,A'and. the.lowerilftehandiemd LcffpaneLB,

. asviewedin" Fig. 2of 'tlfie drawingajn overlappingrelation andendfl vof..panel. .A andltlie lower right handwendof; paneliBlas .lviewedlin. Fig. ,2 off the? drawings, in overlapping... relation.- This firstsewingfcperaticn whichnformsmtlieiseam' deskignated a in; Figs: 9' and 10? ofithe drawings, fputs tliefron'tl'of'the backland "the seatitogetlier irione continuous-piece; Panels Bland 'D'L are then foldedfabouthinge L sothatitlielface sides-of the panelsiaxeinengagement with the .point'; I of panel B inloverla'ppe'dlrelation..witli.,point 4"cfj'p'anel D 1 and points 2"'and"3"of"panels' B and Dfreings. The upper edge of the arm panel C is then connected to the panels B and A by bringing the v points-.8 and!!! of panel C and A, respectively, into overlapping relation and continuing the second seamrorsline of stitches from the connected points 61-5 of panels .C and B, respectively, along thetop'"edgeofpanel C towards point 8 of the lattenand along the side edge of panel A from pointv 9 thereof towards and to point Hl thereof to:'-formthe-seam"portiorr= dsignated cfin Figs. 9 and ll' of tlre'drawingss' This' line of stitehes then turns at the overlapping points Ill of panel Aan'd-fl ofpanelGto join the points fl l- I "of panel 'C and 3 continues 'to point" i 2 off'panel "Cto unite ithe adj-acent fol-de'd' o'ver edge'portionsbf of the-drawings and thus' complete the second sewing 'operationr Tl'i'e lf t armwr panel E is then folddaln'g the line I4"SO' that thei' face sides of thesections aredn opposed relation and points iand l6 thereofarein"overlappin'g rela; tion? The inner side edge of panel E isthen stitched?v from" point l 1' to I 5 l 6; such 'liner of stitches-designated" ,f 'in" Fig-4' 9 of'the drawings; turning and continuing from points- .l 5 l 8 to points l9 2ll -2 lto form-the seam portiong and therebyunitingth'e",top "edge of panelE-from pjoint's'il 5 -to"20"*to i-th'eadjacent'side edgev portion 'of 't-heseat panel A runningfmm point -l8 'to pointi m -and to panel" 1?; atpoint 21; From points 25-4 i this" line of" stitches-= continues 'to form" the "searmiportion whicli ur'iites th'e" adj acentte'd-g'es "of panels-E and B -to points 2 2 and 23-, respectively, thereof and'th'en=turns te-rorm the seam portioniwhich unites-the lower "outside edge portion. of panel-E from"p oin't=22 to"25 totlie edge portionv offpanel" D running, from point 2'4 to"point26'thereof'"as is" shown in Figs; 9 and 11 of the drawings; This completesithe-"third and last sewing operation and-,the-"completed slip cover'can, then be turn'edinsid outto bring-the f'a'ce sides" of the several sections" of material to the exterior and place thecover in" a condition 'for"usa'ge'. It will b'e noted. thatdue-to the'fact that the panelBis' connected-along it's sideedgs fromlthep'ointsl to 5 (Fi'g'; 2) to the right arm panel 0 an'd'from theipoints"23 to 2"l"to"'th'e left arm" panel ,E'by'tlie lines ofstitching c andlh respectively, (seeFi'gs; 9flt'o 11), theporti'onpf sucliipanel Bibelow' points-2i 5, indicated in Fig: 2

of'Itlie'tdrawings'between the dotted line connecte ing such p'oints'and the lower edgedesignated O,

willbefolded substantially along tlre's'econd dot; tedli'ne' on"pa'nel"B of'thi's'lfi'g ure' intermediate such dotted linezl', 5 and the lower edge O',"to assumetheifoldshown in Figs. 9' to 1 1 of the drawings', and Will'form part of the excess materfial to-be stuffed in at the back of the seat ot'th'e chair;

The operator engagedii'n sewingtthe slipcover ofthi's' invention obtains a blank, such" as;slrown inFigiz, as onecontinu'ous sectionxorstringj'and will readily recognize. each portion ,of the plank by its'posi'ti'oiiifi' thestring; She willfirstffofrowing stitches.

nected through the machine in the order above explained, completing the slip cover by three sep-' arate sewing operations and the intermediate manipulation of the panels on their respective hinges to swing or bring them into their proper relation. A single operator may therefore com-j plete each chair cover and it is no longer necessary that a series of operators handleseparate parts from bundles and ultimately bring the separate parts, when stitched together, for completion] of the slip cover. There is a considerable saving, aside from the other advantages of this invention, in annoyance and labor.

All seams are for'medwith overseamor mer- The stitching is done preferably in three continuous operations, as explained, with all seams on the reverse or inner side of the cover. Thus the seam a will be formed in one operation, the seam portions b, c, d and e will be the contours of the chainand the remaining inherent elasticity of the material will permit it to give or stretch further when the springs of the chair are depressed by a person sitting in the chairand such material will again assume its normal, smooth condition when pressure on the springs is removed.

Slip covers are often made of material havin decorative stripes and, in cutting the severalsections that enter into a slip cover, care has to be taken in placing the patternand cutting the material in order that the stripes run inithe proper direction. This invention provides, particularly inelastic materials, a means of having the stripes formed in a second continuous sewing operation and. the third continuous sewing operation will {form the seam composed of the seam portions 1:, h and i, The finished cover is then provided with fastening means of any approved type, for

instance a drawstring 2T, sewn in a hem 28, in the bottom edge of the cover, for tying the cover on the bottom side ofthe chair. The fold lines for the hem 28 are indicated in Fig. 2, of the drawings by the dotted lines 28' at the lower ends of panels E, A, C and D.

The edge 29 of the blank. may be provided with V-cutouts, each of which may have a fabric tape containing rubber cords sewn to the edges thereof for passage around the chair legs as shown in Fig. 6. The top edges of the back of the back (panel D) and the front of the back (panel B) may also be rounded to eliminate the formation of ears at the top corners of the chair back.

The chair cushion may be provided with a pillow case formed from the pillow blanksshown at the right 01f Fig. l. i

The complete chair cover comprises a hood or cover which is drawn over a chair by passing the i open end of the cover over the topof the chair.

The several portions of the slip cover can readily be adjusted to the corresponding parts ofthe chair, the lower portions of the panels providing ,a skirt which extends along the lower edge of the chair just above the legs, the portion of the seat panel A forming a part of such skirt being below the dotted line of fold indicated on such panel in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The necks or run lengthwise of the several parts in the finished slip cover by laying the stripes, when cutting the pattern, crosswise of the full length of the blank, and then cutting the several panels as hereinabove described. When the several panels are assembled in their proper relation the stripes on each chair cover will all run vertically.

The operator may, in the alternative, when sewing the parts together, first bring the front of the back (panel B) and the back (panel D) of the back together and stitch from the point 2--3 to the point l-4, then fold over the right arm panel C along the line l3 and stitch from the point l-4 to the point 56, then turn in the seat panel A and stitch the right side of the seat panel to the lower edge of the right arm along the line 69 to 8-H], and finally from 8'l0 to l2, completing the first sewing operation. The

' second operation would involve sewing the left arm into position by starting at the point l1 and stitching to the point l5l5, then along the line I5i8 to |92ll, then along ,NO, uniting the edge of the seat and the lower edge of the front of the back. The third and final stitching operation involves starting at the point 202| and stitching to the point22-23 and then downwardly from the point 23-24 to the point 25-26.

Other methods of the stitching operation will readily suggest themselves to the operator, but each method involves three continuous seaming operations.

This invention has been explained utilizing.

knitted material as an example, but it may also "be advantageously used with other materials,

such as prints, cretonnes and the like, and elastic or stretchable materials generally.

.right and a wrong side and having five contiguous panels aligned lengthwise of the material, to wit: a left arm panel, a seat panel, a right arm panel, a back of the back panel and a front of the back paneLthe seat panel, in the blank, being separated from the front of the back panel by an arm panel and the back of the back panel, said contiguous panels being separated in part by incisions and connected in part by hinges, said blank being adapted to be manipulated about said hinge portions to po'sition'the seat portion in alignment with the front of the back, the'back 'of the back over the front of the back, .the right cess is stuffed or forced between the chair seat or bottom and the lower edge of the front of the chair back, as is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 ofthe drawings. The entire cover may be tightly drawn on the chair, under tension, by the. drawstring 21 and by the excess material-stufiing operation above explained. The material will conform to arm and the left arm at substantial right angles at opposite sides of the seat and retained in such relation by suitable securing means, the manipulation of said blank being such that the thus assembled panels form the cover in an inside out condition.

2. A chair cover made of an integral section of fabric comprising, in the blank form, five panels aligned lengthwise ofthe' fabric, to wit: a left of the back panel and a front of the bac panel, an incision-separatin in part each a igned con;-

tiguous-panel, and a hinge formed by said fabric connecting contiguous panels, an arm panehin the blank, being positioned intermediate said seat and back of the back panels, said seat Panel, in

the finished chair cover, being joined to said front of the back panel, the back of the back panel'being folded over and united to said front of. the back panel to form arr-envelope for the chair-back, each right and left arm panel being folded over upon itself and secured together at their forward edges and secured. at the inside to the front, of the back and at the bottom edges to the seat-panel to form envelopes for" the chair arms, the lower portions of the arm panels and the seat panel forming a continuous skirt portion fitting smoothly around the two sides and the front of the chair between the legsand seat.

3. A chair cover according to claim 2, in which thelength of the panels in the blank form is substantially equaland the incisions are formed three on one side of the blank and a fourth on the opposite side,

4. A slip coverfor chairs, comprising a back envelope, at right and left armenvelope, a seat portion and a skirt portion, the cover being formed from a continuous pieceeof material divided intofive aligned panels, contiguous panels being connected by transverse portions of the materialforming hingesythree of said connecting portions in the finished slip cover being located at the lower portions thereof and adapted to fit against three corners of the lower portion of the .1

chair anda fourth connecting portion located atthe upper portion ofthe cover and being positioned atone side edge of the back Portion of the chair.

5. An upholstered chair having a back, a bottom-and right and left arms, a slip cover fitting ,over said parts formed from ablankcomprising five distinct panels connected in aligned, relation,

' to wit: a left arm panel, a seat panel, a right arm panel, a back of the back panel and a front of the back panel, the seat panel in said blank,

when fiat, being spaced from the front of the back panel by at least an arm panel, the lower transverse edge portion of the front of the back being secured to the inner transverseedge portion of the seat panel; the upper transverse edge of the front of the back panel being secured to the upper transverse edge of the back of the back panel; the right vertical edge of the front of the back and the right vertical edge of the back of the back beingsecured together; the right arm panel being folded upon itself and its inner vertical ed e being secured to the right lower verticaledge of the front of the back panel; the lower inside edge of the right arm panel being secured to the right edgeof the seat panel; the forward. vertical edges .of the folded'portions of the right arm panel bein u d t ther; the lef a m panel be n folded upon itself; the forward vertical edges of andleft arm panel-forming a continuous skirt accents portion fi ting against he chair bodr ire tlr be: low the seat andiextending enti e a ound the,

cha r rom and o the i nctu e of t e e t am panel with the back of the back pane 6. A slip cover for chairs,,comprisng a back envelope, a right and left arm envelope and a skirt portion, the cover being formed from a con,- tinuous piece of flexible covering material divide ed in the blank form into five panels aligned lengthwise of the material, contiguous panels being separated in part by four transverse incisions and being connected inpart by four portions of the material aligned with said incisions and forniing hinges, said connecting portions being adapt ed to lie against the-corners of the chair and including two connecting portions extending'beelow the seat portion of the cover at the front of the cover, a connecting portion extending down the cover from the top of an arm portion and a connecting portion located at the upper portion of the cover and extending from thetop of the, other arm portion to the top of the cover.

'7. A slip cover for chairs composed of an e ongated, strip of flexible covering material having a predetermined substantially constant widthand having four spaced slits extending transversely of the strip, three of said slits extending inwardly from one longitudi al edge of the material and the fourth slit extending from the other longitudinal edge of the strip and said slits each. have namely, a seat panel, two arm, panels, a front of the back panel and a back of the back panel,

said panels being arrangedin such predetermined relation to one another that the seat panel is separated from the front of the back panel by at least an arm panel and that such panels are enabled' withoutseparation from the strip to bev secured together to form a slip cover having a back envelope, a left and right arm envelope and a skirt portion, the slits being arranged so that said skirt portion is composed of an integral, uninterrupted portion of the strip having a length such as to enable it to encircle the chair below the seat.

8. A step product used in the manufacture of slip covers for chairs, said product comprising a single integral strip of flexible covering material having a predetermined width and having four spaced slits extending transversely of the, strip to points, short of the width of the strip, three of front of the back panel and a back of the back panel, said panels being arranged in such predetermined relation to one another that the seat panel is separated from the front of the back panel by at least an arm panel and that such p s a e nabl d w thout sepa at oni om the strip to be formed into aslip cover havin a back envelope, at right and left arm envelope and a skirt portion, the slits being arranged so. that said skirt portion is composed of an uninterrupted, longitudinally, extending portion of the strip suitable for the entire skirt portion of the cover to be made.

9. In the manufacture of Slipcovers for chairs, the me od-which nc udes. takin a n le. integral strip of exible cove in materialo a predetermined width, cutting four. slits therein extending transversely of the strip to points short of the width of the strip to form five aligned ch air panels, namely, a seat panel, two arm panels, a

front of the back panel and a back of the back panel, and so that suchpanels are separated by such slits and connected by uncut portions of the material, three of said slits extending inwardly from one longitudinal edge of the material and the fourth slit extending from the other longitudinal edge of the strip and the cutting operation being performed to space said slits longitudinally of the strip in predetermined relation so that the said panels defined by said slits are arranged in such predetermined relation to one another that the seat panel is separated from the front of the back panel byat least an arm panel and that such panels are enabled without separation 'from the strip to be formed into a. slip coverhaving a back envelope, a right and left arm envelope and a skirt portion, and so that such skirt portion is provided along one longitudinal edge of the strip as an uninterrupted,-

longitudinally extending portion of the material suitable for the entire skirt portion of the cover to be made, progressively foldingthe said panels into proper arrangement and stitching the thus folded panels together so that the seams are formed on the inner side of the material by three continuous lines of stitches.

10. In the process of forming chair covers, the

steps of taking a section of flexible covering material having sufiicient length to form five aligned chair panels and forming in said section of material four transverse incisions, at least three of said incisions extending inwardly from one longitudinal edge of the material and all four of said transverse incisions extending partially only of the width of the material and spaced to form five chair panels divided by said incisions and connected with uncut portions of such material in the regions of said incisions, said panels constituting a left-arm panel, a seat panel, a rightarm panel, a back of the back panel and a front of the back panel, the seat panel being spaced by two panels from the front of the back panel,

aligning the seat and front of the back panel,

said panels being such that the thus formed cover is inside out.

WILLIAM D. CLARK, J a. 

